


Rook To King's Bishop

by pandorabox82



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/M, Flufftober 2019, Prompt 17 - Chess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-15 11:41:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20865629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: Roxanna asks Henrik to finally teach her how to play chess as she recovers from the damage that John did to her brain and body.





	Rook To King's Bishop

"You never played chess before," Henrik said as he set up the board for their first game. Roxanna gave him an exasperated look as she unsteadily took a seat across the table from him. It had been a long road back from what John had tried to do to them all, but her recovery had been the worst. Since the clip in her brain had stunted her body of motion for so many days, there were still functions that were returning, even a year later. Which was why he had been so surprised to find that she wanted to accompany him to Sweden with Sara and Oskar. He had assumed that she would want to recover at home, not in a foreign country where she didn't speak the language, though there were quite a few people who did speak English to her when they found out that she was only just learning Swedish.

"I was talking to Guy Self, giving him an update on how I was feeling, and he suggested that my mental acuity might be improved by learning a new skill. And since chess is supposed to be a more cerebral hobby, I thought that you could teach me how to play."

A soft chuckle slipped out of his lips as he finished putting the pieces into place and then motioned to the board. "I would suggest that you start out by playing white, since they go first."

She nodded and reached out to touch each piece in turn. "The only one that I know is that these are pawns," Roxanna murmured as she picked up the correct piece. "You'll have to teach me the rest."

He nodded and reached across the table to pick up her hand, squeezing it softly as he gave her a small smile. "Don't expect to learn everything in one day. I've been playing for decades and there are still things I'm learning about technique and gameplay." Pulling his hand back, Henrik placed his pointer fingers on the first and last pieces in the back row. "Then, in order, are the rooks, the knights, the bishops, your king and your queen. The queen is the most important piece on the board, she can move anywhere that she wants, once she's open."

Henrik went on to describe how all the pieces moved, and she seemed to be able to keep up with what he was saying. "And how do I win?"

"By trapping my king."

"Then that is what I am going to do." Roxanna lifted an eyebrow in challenge, and he nodded as he waited for her to make her first move. "Though I think that I can make things interesting with the game."

"How so?"

"For each piece you lose, I get to kiss you. For each piece I lose, you teach me another word of Swedish. That way, I'm learning two things at once, and I get to have a little pleasure."

"And if you win?"

"Then I get to take a long walk with you around the lake. It will be good for my rehabilitation. And if you win, I'll do whatever boon that you might have for me."

He nodded and they got down to the game at hand. Roxanna proved surprisingly adept at the game, learning quickly as they went. They were equally losing pieces, and he eagerly taught her new words in his mother tongue just as she eagerly kissed his cheek or hand. It was one of the sweetest things to experience, and he found himself wishing there were more than sixteen pieces to lose before the game was officially over. And that little distraction allowed for her to put him into checkmate, handily winning the game.

"I did it!" she said happily, clapping her hands a little as she struggled to her feet. "Now, let me get some shoes on, and then we can head out on our walk." He nodded and made to get up and follow after her, only for Roxanna to shoo him back into his seat. "I can do this on my own. I have to do this on my own."

"I know, I just want to…"

"Hover. And overprotect. And while I do love you, I do not love that."

Henrik nodded, trying not to comment on the fact that she had so casually said that she loved him, as if she didn't realise what words had come out of her mouth. "I understand," he replied as he cleaned up the game. It didn't take long to have all the pieces put away, and then he was joining Roxanna out in the foyer. "It is a little cool, so I'm going to wear a thicker jumper. Do you want one of mine?"

"That might be nice," she replied, watching him open the closet by the door and pull out two thick woolen jumpers. It was a struggle to keep from helping her into it, though he couldn't resist smoothing her hair down. It was getting a little longer now, almost touching her shoulders, and a part of him wanted to just run his fingers through it as they kissed. "Keep your thoughts on the walk ahead. There will be time to perhaps do what you're thinking about later, tonight, when we're alone."

He nodded as he opened the door, letting her head outside first, following closely behind her before locking the door. Once he'd gotten to the bottom of the porch steps, he reached his hand out for Roxanna's, a pleased smile curving up his lips as she threaded their fingers together, allowing him to guide her down towards the lake. It was a quiet October morning, the sky filled with the beautiful sound of birds singing as they flew through the sky. "We could head down to the dock, and sit there for a while before making our way around the lake. I just don't want to tire you out before _fika_."

"Heaven forbid," she teased as she knocked her head against his shoulder. He reveled in her laugh, knowing that it was a sure sign that she was thriving here in Sweden, losing some of the past that had haunted her for too long, gaining a closer relationship with him and Oskar, and even Sara. "The air smells like autumn," she said as they stepped onto the dock, and he nodded as he led her down to the end.

"I wouldn't let your feet dip into the water, Roxy. It's a little too cold this time of year, and I'd hate you to catch cold so far into your recovery." She nodded as they took a seat on the wood, and then she was curling up into his side, her cheek coming to rest on his jumper. He dragged his fingers through her hair as they watched the water, and he felt a deep sense of peace fill his mind as they sat in companionable silence. "So, you love me?"

"You heard that."

"I did."

"Well, I do. I thought that I wouldn't ever be able to feel like this again, after David died. I thought that something inside me was broken so badly that it would never heal. And then, John happened, and I had to claw my way back to life, and you were there to guide me. Now, we're here together, becoming a family, and I looked up to realise that I was in love. With you, with Oskar, with _Sverige_, and that it didn't hurt."

"I can't promise that it will always be bliss. I'm not made for happiness."

"Neither am I, but I am finding joy in your arms. Joy is much different than happiness, because you can be joyful, even when sad." Roxanna snuggled closer to his side, almost crawling into his lap, and he welcomed her weight on him. "I know that I still have a ways to go in my recovery, but I meant what I said earlier. I want to sleep with you tonight." Turning her face up, she pressed her lips against his jaw as she spread her hand out on his chest.

"You are too precious," he said as he pulled her down onto the dock so that they could look up into the sky. The day was clear and blue, which was unusual, but he was going to enjoy it for as long as he could. "I don't know why you fell in love with me, Roxanna. After all, I believed John over you."

"Hush, we're not going to think about that, Henrik. He made his choice, and when he couldn't live with it, he walked into that lake, expecting you to follow him into eternity. He didn't count on the fact that your love for me was greater than your desire to die."

"I wasn't always this strong." Her hand tightened in his jumper. "I walked into the lake at Rigden. I thought that it would be easier for everyone if I just stopped existing. It wasn't true, and John was the one to rescue me then. I honestly think that he thought I would follow him anywhere. I mean, I loved him, almost as much as I love you, but I knew that I had something to live for when it became clear that Guy could cure you, could fix the damage that John had left behind in your brain. In the end, I chose the love that I knew was healthy, that would grow and not fester. I hate saying that about him, but I think that we both know that it's true. Maybe that's what makes it so hard to say."

"I think that you're right," she replied before scooting up a little so that she could kiss his cheek before turning so that she could more easily straddle his body. "And I think that that is part of why it has been so easy to fall in love with you as I recover. Because you see the truth in everything."

"I try to do so, yes. But there was so much I overlooked with regards to John, and I know that I did that because you ended up so hurt. Mentally and physically. A part of me will always regret that I played such a large part in that." Reaching up, he cupped her face and ran his thumbs along her cheekbones, catching a few glistening tears on them as she gave him a tremulous smile. "You deserved to be heard and believed, but that didn't happen…"

"Shh, darling. You need to stop blaming yourself. We both know that I was acting very paranoid around that time, as my grief over losing David was clouding a few of my reactions. He played us both, I hope you realise."

"I do," he said softly as he slipped one hand back into her hair to cup her skull and gently pull her down so that he could more thoroughly kiss her. Roxanna's slight weight filled him with warmth, and he groaned against her lips as they deepened their kiss. His other hand slipped down her back until it was resting on her bum, squeezing firmly as they continued to make out. There was something so lovely about the crisp autumn day that inspired him to love on her so sweetly. He suddenly wanted to feel her skin with his hands, and so he tugged her shirt out of the waistband of her jeans before sliding his hand up her smooth back. His fingers splayed out, the pointer and middle finger dipping below the strap of her bra as his thumb swiped against her side.

"If we're going to do this, I'd like to go back inside, please. While your hand is warm against my skin, I can feel the wind licking at the bare skin of my back." He nodded before pecking her lips once more and then helping her to her feet. A pleased smile quickly crossed his lips when she wrapped her arm around his waist, holding onto him as they slowly made their way back to the house. Just as he opened the door, a gust of wind whipped right through them, and Roxanna shivered as she stepped closer to him. "I knew autumn would be cooler here, but I really need something to warm me up," she said as she looked up into his eyes.

Henrik nodded as he gently pulled her into the house and over to the staircase. It was slow going up, as Roxanna's lingering neurological issues seemed to affect her legs most when she was climbing. They both knew that it might never get better than this, but he knew that she was relieved that it hadn't affected her hands or mind. "Roxanna?"

"Yes?"

"Are you happy here?"

She finally reached the top landing, and paused to look at him, her head cocking to one side as she regarded him. "Yes. There is nowhere else that I would rather be. Because you have taken care of me so well." She stepped into his arms, kissing him softly as they made their way into the bedroom. "There is nowhere else I would rather be than here in your arms, learning to play chess, and letting you make love to me. And whenever you're ready to return to Holby, I'll come with you, because I don't ever want to leave your side again."

Henrik stopped them by the bed, allowing his hands to come to rest on her shoulders as he looked into her eyes. "You are my sweet love, Roxanna MacMillan." She smiled and gave him a small nod as a blush stained her cheeks. He made a soft sound of pleasure in the back of his throat as he slid his hands down her arms before gripping the hem of her jumper and drawing it up her torso, taking her shirt along with it. "My beautiful, sweet, love," he said lowly as he fought instinct and allowed her jumper and shirt to pool on the floor as he lowered her to the bed, knowing that their first time making love would be a memory that he would cherish for years to come.


End file.
